This mobo any good?

Timans

I was looking at THIS mobo for my first pc build. It was recommended to me by another boards member but would just like some more opinions for peace of mind. It looks good to me, AMD 64 processor, pc3200/2700 DDR RAM, PCI-E slot.

Well..?:)

mac_leinn

Why not get this one instead? Its basically the socket am2 version of the one you mentioned and will give you a better upgrade path. Dont forget you'll need an am2 A64 processor and ddr2 ram.

TomCo

If you HAD to get a 939 board and had around €100 I'd get this one

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=317858

8T8

Personally I'd go with the Epox a reliable board if this is your first time building, though mac_leinn makes a good point go with the AM2 version you will have a better upgrade path for the future.

Get some DDR2-667 to go with it and your set.

astrofool

This board: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=320229 has the advantage of coming with HD audio, and being based on the Nforce5 chipset (which seems to be rid of any IDE shennanigans). If you do go AM2, try to get some PC6400 ram to go with it, should future proof it for a while, OR go for a conroe chip

Timans

This is my first build lads, I've not a great idea about which parts are good and which aren't.

I've heard that X2 isn't as good for gaming as AMD 64, true? false?

Hmm, I had 1gig PC3200 DDR ram lined up for 50 euro but I think I'll pull out now, Might be getting a different mobo..

Timans

Also, The AM2 processor doesn't support SATA II hard drives. I heard that SATA II are better, and from looking at Komplett.ie, they look cheaper aswell.

8T8

SATA-II support is built into the chipset not the CPU and the motherboards support it, also you wouldn't notice a difference between SATA and SATA-II outside of synthetic benchmarks anyway.

The X2 is perfectly fine for gaming & in the long run a better choice as more games begin to take advantage of multi core CPU's plus it makes general usage of the computer with multiple applications running a lot more smooth.

Timans

But, Hard Drives that are SATA not SATA II are ridiculously expensive!

I can't use a SATA II hard-drive in [http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=322052 THIS] mobo could I?

I'm terribly confused now..

8T8

SATA-II is backwards compatible with SATA-I controllers and like wise SATA-I hard drives are compatible with SATA-II controllers.

That motherboard you linked to supports SATA-I & II hard drives see the SATA-300 reference which means it supports the 300MBps speed of SATA2.

It doesn't matter what kind of hard drive you get it will work.

hopeful

Timans wrote:

But, Hard Drives that are SATA not SATA II are ridiculously expensive!

I can't use a SATA II hard-drive in [http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=322052 THIS] mobo could I?

I'm terribly confused now..

SATA = SATA150
SATA II = SATA300

ALL new boards will have either SATA or SATAII ports...some have both.
SATA drives will work in both ports and SATAII drives will also work in both but a jumper on a SATAII drive will need to be set for it to work on a SATA port.

Hope this clears any confusion



Edit:: 8T8 said it better....and quicker lol ::

Timans

What's a jumper?

gnashrr

Timans wrote:

What's a jumper?

You're not building anyone a PC! Go on out of that garden!

Timans

gnashrr wrote:

You're not building anyone a PC! Go on out of that garden!

I don't know very much, I know..

Hence me asking questions..

8T8

Timans wrote:

I don't know very much, I know..

Hence me asking questions..

This shall explain all.

In the context of a hard drive some but not all SATA2 hard drives have a jumper on them that when enabled set it into SATA1 mode in order to retain compatibility with older SATA controllers.

gnashrr

Dancing at the disco bumper to bumper, wait a minute where's me jumper?!

astrofool

hopeful wrote:

SATA = SATA150
SATA II = SATA300

ALL new boards will have either SATA or SATAII ports...some have both.
SATA drives will work in both ports and SATAII drives will also work in both but a jumper on a SATAII drive will need to be set for it to work on a SATA port.

Hope this clears any confusion



Edit:: 8T8 said it better....and quicker lol ::

The jumper is only used to force SATA1 mode when connected to a SATA2 connector, nothing is needed to be done if the connector is SATA1 as they are backwards compatable anyway.

EITHER WAY, any motherboard you buy and any SATA hard drive you buy will work together, don't get socket 939 as its been discontinued.

Timans

Ok, So.

The am2 mobo is looking like the winner. Also, I'll be getting a samsung 200GB SATA II har drive. these will work together.

Nice one, cheers.

Timans

Turns out that AM2 mobo(http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=322052&view=detailed) is actually SATA II, (Serial ATA300) I didn't realise as I was looking for it to say Serial ATA II but now I understand that SATA II is Serial ATA300.

*slaps forehead and hears a hollow noise*

mac_leinn

Timans wrote:

Turns out that AM2 mobo(http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=322052&view=detailed) is actually SATA II, (Serial ATA300) I didn't realise as I was looking for it to say Serial ATA II but now I understand that SATA II is Serial ATA300.

*slaps forehead and hears a hollow noise*

Also, if your unsure about what components are compatible scroll down to the end of that link and you'll find a list of compatible cpu/ram/vga's. Alternatively you can just post here and someone will answer